Sudan - Economic development

The suspension of foreign aid and balance-of-payment support by a
growing list of countries has all but stopped economic development. In
spite of this, Sudan's government retains food self-sufficiency
as a priority goal and seeks to reallocate investment toward agriculture
and other productive sectors. Private investment is welcome as the
parastatal sector is privatized. Oil exploitation may eventually boost
economic development (oil began to be exported in October 2000).

In 2000, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lifted its suspension on
Sudan's voting rights, after the country made payments to the
Fund and improved its economic performance as of 1997. (Sudan's
voting and other rights in the IMF had been suspended since 1993.) The
country's foreign debt exceeds $13 billion, more than its annual
gross domestic product (GDP).

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